Typewriting machine



Nov. 30,1926. 1,609,137

B. C. STICKNEY TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed Feb. 12, 1925 Patented Nov. 30, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

BURNHAM G. STICKNEY, OF RUTHERFDED, NEW/i JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T UNDERWOOID TYPEWRITER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CGBPORATION OF DELAWARE.

TYPEVTRITING MACHINE.

Application filed February 12, 1925. Serial No. 8,637.

This invention relates to silent-key mechanism for typewriting machines, and more particularly to silent keys by means of which a key may operate to print a character and concomitantly actuate a ribbon vibrator while at the same time being ineffective to actuate the carriage-escapement mechanism.

It is often necessary, particularly in some languages, to operate a key to print an accent or any other character which must appear on the written sheet as an addition to a regular character, and, in such cases, it is customary to provide a key which, although operative to shift the ribbon and to strike the platen, will, nevertheless, be ineffective to space the carriage. In this manner, the silent key is struck to print the silent character, and the regular character key, which must appear combined with the silent character, is struck to print and to space the carriage.

In some languages, such as for example in the Japanese language, where Only two silent characters are required, it is contrived'by this invention to use the same key to print a regular character in its regular shifted position.

In the illustrated form of this invention, which is shown in connection with on Underwood portable typewriting machine having a double-shift mechanism, the silent key is provided with mechanism operatively connected to the shift mechanism in such a manner that an interposing member, operated by an arm fast to the shift-operating shaft, is caused to operate the universal bar, and to space the carriage when the platen is in center-case position, In .upper and lower case type position the key will be ineffective to space the carriage because it is then operatively disconnected from the uni versal bar. The key may be timed tobe silent in both center case and upper case positions, and effective in lower case, and other figure key, is to position the platen a step t higher to receive the impressions of the uppermost type when the keys are depressed.

Said typewriting machine is also provided with mechanism for spacing the carriage, that isto say, mechanism to feed the carriage one step aftereach impression. Said mechanism, not shown, is operatively connected to a universal. bar 16 actuated by the character keys, so that, at eachdepression of the keys, the universal bar-is forced to rock a rock-shaft 17, which is in turn operatively connected to the .escapement mechanism which feeds the carriage. One of the character keys, indicated .by the numeral 18, is actuated to move a key-lever 19 which is pivotally mounted on a fulcrum plate 20 and is guided at the front by a comb-piece 21 fast to the frame 22. The key-lever 19 is operatively connected to the type-bar 14; by means of link 23 and a rocking piece 24 in. such a manner that, when the key is depressed, a pin 25 on the key-lever engages with a slot26 in the rocking piece2t torock the same and to pull the link 23, which in turn forces the type-bar to swing on its supporting pivot 27 to strike the platen. The key-lever is then'returned to its normal position by a spring 28, between the key-lever and'a supporting cross-bar 29. The rocking piece 24 is pivotally mounted at 30 upon a supporting frame 31.

'In order to render visible-the typing upon the work-sheet, there is provided mechanism to automatically lift the ribbon in front of the types at each key depression, and to move the ribbon out of the way to its normal position below the printing line after each impression. Said mechanism is normally-operated by the universal bar by means of an arm 32 fast to the universal bar rockshaft 17. Said arm is operatively connected to the ribbon-vibrator, although in certain cases the vibrator may be operated by other means independent of the universal bar, in order that the ribbon-vibrator may be operative during the operation of the silent key which may in some shifts not operate upon the universal bar. Upon depressing the universal bar 16, the rock-shaft 17 will be swung and the arm 32 which is fast thereto will move the link 34 and the piece 35 slidably mounted in the slot 36 in the slide 37. The front end of the slide 37 is slidably mounted in an elongated slot of a bracket 38 fast to the front comb-piece 21. The opposite end of the slide is associated with a pivot 39 which serves as a fulcrum for a rocking lever 40. The lever 40 is provided with a slot exactly the same as the slot 36 in the slide 37, and both the rocking lever and the slide are linked together by means of the piece35. At the rear the lever 46 has an upwardly-extending groove 41 which engages with a roller 42 fast on a lever 43 fulcrumed at 44 and has an extension 45 toward the center of the machine to engage a pin 46 fast on the ribbon-support 47. The fulcrum point 44 of the lever 43 is fast on the platenframe and moves up with the platen to the different case-type positions, while the roller 42 slides along the groove 41. Thus the shifting of the platen does not afiect the ribbon-vibrating mechanism relatively to the printing point on the platen. It will be noted that the piece 35. which moves forwardly urged by the link 34, will force the lever 40 to swing on its pivot 39, thereby lifting the ribbon to printing position through the intermediate lever 43.

The Underwood portable typewriting machine is also equipped with mechanism for selecting the color of a bicrome-ribbon. so that either of the two colors may be used to type upon a work-sheet. Said mechanism includes a selecting lever 48 having a finger-piece 49 at its forward end and be ing pivotally mounted on a screw 50. The rear end of the lever is operatively connected to a link 51, which is in turn connected to the link 34 by means of a pin 52. By rocking the lever the piece 35 may be moved from one side to the other of the slot 36 in the slide 37, so as to increase or decrease the throw of the lever 40, thus increasing or decreasing the lift of the ribhon-support 47 to a position corresponding to either one or the other color of the rib bon.

Thus far, mechanism has been described to operate the ribbon mechanism through the action of the universal bar, but. due to the fact that sometimes it is required to operate the silent key in a shift position, in which the silent key does not actuate the universal bar, other mechanism is provided operatively. connected to the silent key to effectively vibrate the ribbon, even though the key may not operate upon the universal bar. When the silent key is depressed a lug 53, which preferably forms an integral part of the silent key lever 54, engages with a roller 55 fast upon the slide 37 to cam the slide forwardly and to operate the ribbon mechanism. In order to prevent a retractive action upon the universal bar when the slide is thus operated, there is provided a oneway connection between the piece 35 and the link 34, so that when the slide 37 is pulled the link 34 will slide in the piece thus not affecting the universal bar.

In the drawings, mechanism is illustrated whereby the key 56 may be operated in three different shift positions, the normal and the uppermost positions being silent, while the center-shift position is effective to letterfeed the carriage and the platen therefor.

lWhen the shift-key 11 is operated, a shaft 33 is rocked upwardly by means of the linkage shown in dot-and-dash lines in Figure 3. Said linkage comprises an arm 57 fast upon the shaft 33 and is operated by a shift-key lever 58 which is fulcrumed at 59. This however only illustrates the mechanism for the first or capital position. The mechanism for shifting the platen to figure position, not shown, consists of an intermediate lever to lift the carriage a step higher to bring the platen to a position opposed to the type 15. lVhen the capital key is depressed the shaft 33 is rocked, and, by means of a pin-and-slot arrangement 60, actuates an arm 61 which is fulerumed at 62 and is operatively connected to an interposing member 63 by means of a pin 64, so that when the capital key is depressed, the interposing member 63 is moved forwardly to a position indicated by the numeral 65 shown in dot-and-dash lines in Figure 3. The interposing member 63 is slidably mounted on the silent key-lever 54 by means of a pin 66 fast thereto and engaging an elongated slot 67 in said member The slidable member 63 is further provided with a downwardly-extending lug or interponent 68 engageable with the rib portion 69 of the universal bar 16. hen the figure key is operated, the lug 68 moves forwardly and out of the way of the universal bar, and

consequently, if the key 56 is operated while 33 the figure key is depressed, the key 56 will not space the carriage, but will type only the accent mark or additional character necessary to complete the previously typed regular character.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that when the platen is shifted to cap-- ital type position, the depression of the silent key 56 will operate the universal bar. while in the uppermost or figure position and also in normal or lowermost position, the key Wlll be lnetfective to space the carriage, therefore printing a type Without and described as representing one manner of" timing the same which is controlled by the shift mechanism. It will therefore be understood that the particular timing shown represents only an example, and changes therein will not amount to departures from this invention.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: 7

1. In a typewriting machine including a carriage and a platen therefor, a series of type-bars and keys therefor, each type-bar having a plurality of types, a universal bar, mechanism to shift the platen to co-operative positions with each of the types on said keys, mechanism controlled by thekeys operatively connected to the universal bar to space the carriage after each impression, a ribbon-vibrating mechanism to interpose a ribbon in front of the types at each impression, said last-mentioned mechanism being operated by the universal bar, means whereby some of the keys may be rendered ineffective to operate the universal bar and the carriage-spacing; mechanism therefor, said last-mentioned means being controlled by the platen-shiftin mechanism, and means to operate the ribbon-vibrating mechanism independently of the universal bar when the keys not actuating thereupon are operated.

2. In a typewriting machine. in combination, a carriage and a platen therefor, a series of type-bars and keys therefor, including a special key, each type-bar having a plurality of types. a universal bar. mecha nism to shift the platen to co-operative positions with each of the types on said keys, mechanism controlled by the keys operatively connected to the universal bar to space the carriage after each impression, a ribbonvibrating mechanism to interpose a ribbon in front of the types at each impression, said last-mentioned mechanism being operated by the universal bar and including a slide, means whereby the special key may be rendered ineffective to operate the universal bar, said last-mentioned means being controlled by the platenshiftinp; mechanism, and means for actuating the slide to operate the ribbon-vibrating mechanism independently of the universal bar, said last-mentioned means including a finger carried by the special key and effective to engage the slide whereby to impart motion thereto, upon operating; said special key.

3. In a typewriting machine, in combination, a carriage and a platen therefor, mechanismfor letter spacing the carriage, mechanism for shifting the carriage, a series of type-bars and a series of keys therefor, said type-bars having a plurality of types, each c-o-operating with a different shift of the carriage, a ribbon-vibrating mechanism, a

universal b-ar controlled by the keys and operatively connected to the carriagespacing mechanism and to the ribbon-vibrating mechanism, a special key-lever operatively connected to a special type-bar having a plurality of types, means operated by the special key-lever to vibrate the ribbon independently of the universal bar, and means controlled by the carriage-shift mechanism for rendering the special key-lever selectively effective or ineffective to operate the universal bar.

4:. In a typewriting machine, in combination, a carriage and a platen therefor, mechanism for letter spacing the carriage, mechanism for shifting the carriage, a series of type-bars and a series of keys therefor, said type-bars having a plurality of types, each co-operating with a difierent shift of the carriage. a ribbon-vibrating mechanism, a

universal bar controlled by the keys and operatively connected to the carriage-spacing mechanism and to the ribbon-vibrating.

mechanism, a special key-lever operatively connected to a special type-bar having a plurality of types, means operated by the special key-lever to vibrate the ribbon independently of the universal bar, and means controlled by the carriage-shift mechanism for rendering the special key-lever selectively effective or ineffective to operate the universal bar, said last-mentioned means including an interposing member slidably mounted on the special key-lever, and linkage connecting said interposing member to the carriage-shift mechanism in such a manner that when the shift mechanism is operated to eo-operate with some of the types on the special type-bar, the interposing member will be rendered effective to operate the universal bar.

5. In a typewriting machine, in combination, a carriage and a platen therefor, type bars having: a plurality of types fast thereto and key-levers therefor, means controlled by a universal member to letter-feed the carriage, and the key-levers being operatively connected to the universal member,

mechanism including operating keys for shifting the carriage to positions co-operating with the several types on the keys, a ribbon-vibrating mechanism, means operati'vely connecting the universal member and the ribbon-vibrating mechanism, a special key-lever having mechanism tovibrate the ribbon independently of the universal member, and means controlled by the carriageshift-ing mechanism to render the special key-lever ineffective to operate upon the universal member, in one or more shift positions of the carriage, While at the same time being effective to operate upon the universal member in the other shift positions of the carriage, said last-mentioned means including a rock-shaft to which the shiftkeys are operatively connected, and an arm.

on said shaft and fast thereto to operate an interposing member slidably mounted on the special key-lever, said interposing memher having a downwardly-extending lug disposed to engage With the universal member thereunder, in such positions of the shiftkey as the lug Will correspondingly be moved in the path of the universal member, so that when the special key is depressed,

said lug will strike the universal member, thereby spacing the carriage.

6. In a typewriting machine, in combination, a carriage and a platen therefor, typebars having a plurality of types and keylevers therefor, means controlled by a univ-ersal member to letter-feed the carriage, and the key-levers being operatively connected to the universal member, mechanism including keys for shifting the carriage to positions co-operating with the several types on the keys, a ribbon-vibrating mechanism, means operativelv connecting the universal member and the ribbon-vibrating mechanism, a special key-lever having mechanism to vibrate the ribbon independently of the universal member, and means controlled by the carriage-shifting mechanism to render the special key-lever ineffective to operate the universal member, in one or more shift positions of the carriage, and being effective to operate the universal member in another shift position of the carriage, said lastmcntioned means including an interposing member selectively moved into or out of the path of the universal member.

BURNHAM C. STICKNEY. 

